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LOCAL GOLF NEWS
The SCA Eagles Did What the Chiefs Couldn’ t – a“ Three-Peat”
by Larry Frevert, contributer
Although our beloved KC Chiefs fell short this past February in their quest for a“ three-peat” of Super Bowl wins when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated them in Super Bowl LIX, the Summit Christian Academy( SCA) Eagles boys’ golf team achieved a“ three-peat” on May 20 by winning their third consecutive Missouri State High School Activities Association( MSHSAA) boys’ state golf tournament. Maybe 2025 is just meant to be the year for the Eagles!
This year’ s victory in Class 4 follows previous wins in Class 2( 2023) and Class 3( 2024). As a private school in Lee’ s Summit, MO, SCA is subject to MSHSAA guidelines for class advancements based not only on enrollment but also on competitive success, as explained in the July 2024 TEE TIMES Golf Magazine article about the team’ s second championship. With the team’ s success again this year and increased enrollment at SCA, it’ s possible the team could move to Missouri’ s largest class, Class 5, in 2026.
SCA is an independent, non-denominational
Christian school serving nearly 1,300 students from preschool through high school. Established in 1989, the school has distinguished itself as a top private school in the Kansas City area and is a leader in Christian education in the Midwest region. SCA is located on a 36-acre campus in Lee’ s Summit and is a member of the MSHSAA.
Head Coach Gary Breshears’ golf team also completed an undefeated season, winning all nine tournaments and a single nine-hole match they played this year, from Columbia
The Summit Christian Academy Eagles boys’ golf team and 2025 MSHSAA Class 4 State Champion Golf Team( from left to right); Head Coach, Gary Breshears, Peyton Smith, Jack Seitz, Max Seitz, Ben Wheeler, Tristan Aitkens, and Trenton Laffoon, assistant coach.
to Lawrence and St. Joseph to Bolivar. What’ s more, in each tournament, an SCA golfer was the individual medalist. Medalists or co-medalists for these tournaments included Max Seitz, a co-medalist who also finished second at the district tournament with 3-under par 69 at Paradise Pointe Golf Club; Peyton Smith, who won 4 medals, including one at the twoday state tournament, plus 1 co-medalist; and Ben Wheeler, who earned 5 medals, including one at the conference tournament where he shot a 7-under par 65 at Creekmoor Golf Club, and one at the district tournament where he shot a 5-under par 67, plus 2 co-medalists.
At the state tournament at Silo Ridge Country Club in Bolivar, the Eagles bested the 2024 Class 4 Champions, the Poplar Bluff Mules, by 18 strokes. Solid play early on the second day by Ben, Jack, Max, and Tristan secured the state championship for the Eagles by the time their teammate Peyton, playing in the final group, finished his round.
Peyton Smith opened with a 5-under 67 and held the state tournament first-day lead by four strokes. On a very wet and windy golf course the second day, following heavy overnight rainstorms, Peyton’ s lead swelled to 5 when he birdied the 3rd hole to reach 6-under par. However, an uncharacteristic late barrage of three bogeys coupled with a birdie by his nearest competitor reduced his lead to one stroke. Facing the uphill 521-yard par-5 finishing hole, Peyton calmly struck a 300- plus yard drive to the middle of the fairway, followed by a 215-yard five iron onto the green. With his teammates and the majority of the day’ s spectators gathered around the final green, he 2-putted for a birdie, a total of 4-under par for the two days, and a victory. This was Peyton’ s third consecutive state medalist title, making him one of only three young men in the history of Missouri high school golf to accomplish that feat. No one has ever won four. Ben finished 4th, Max was 8th, Jack was 15th, and Tristan was 20th in a field of 97 boys competing in the tournament. Ben, Jack, Max, and Peyton earned All-State honors.
Ben, Jack, Peyton, and Tristan are juniors with one more year of eligibility, while Max is only a freshman and is expected to anchor the team when the other four graduate in 2026.
The team enjoyed great support through the season from their SCA classmates, including Junior Varsity members Truman Aitkens, Anderson Arroyo, Noah Dunn, Chase Jackson, Jake Nicholson, Ryan Sare, Grey Stout, and JV Coach Trenton Laffoon, as well as the SCA faculty and staff, parents, grandparents, and other family members.
8 July 2025 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE